“As we have already said, so now I say again: If anybody is preaching to you a gospel other than what you accepted, let them be under God’s curse!”
Galatians 1:9 (NIV)
As it was in Paul’s day so it is in our day.
False preachers are perverting the gospel of Christ.
The problem in Galatia was legalism added to the gospel, a focus on the external instead of the internal, ignoring the power within by concentrating on the external appearance.
The problem in Canada in 2018 is license added to the gospel, a focus on the invisible internal, while ignoring the ability of the power within to change our external behaviour.
Paul’s answer was to preach grace - a powerful grace - not a weak tolerance of everything, but a powerful change from within through faith in Christ Himself who is alive within us. And Paul used himself as an example of how this powerful grace works.
Our answer should be to preach grace - a powerful grace - that must change our lives from the inside out, if Christ is truly alive within us?
Grace is not tolerance- grace is unmerited favour- God moving into our lives in spite of our sin and rescuing us from this evil age. God changing us, saving us, day by day, hour by hour from our own sinful inclinations, as we come to the cross again and again seeking forgiveness, seeking the power of God to radically change our external behaviour, from the inside out.
As we preach the gospel of Christ – the gospel of powerful grace - are we able to use ourselves as an example? Are we being rescued? Or are we under Paul's curse?
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